ARC Raiders drops you onto the surface to grab loot, dodge ARC machines and other raiders, and get out alive. Die and you lose what you brought. That’s what makes your first hours rough. This guide covers how to start without going broke, which maps open when, and how to build up your stash and gear.
The short version
- Use Free Loadouts until you can afford to lose your own gear.
- Stay on Dam Battlegrounds while you learn.
- Pick your exit early and leave before the round runs out.
- Sell most of what you bring home, and spend on stash space.
- Put your most valuable find in your Safe Pocket every raid.
Free Loadouts: your first raids cost nothing
A Free Loadout gives you a random weapon, a Light Shield, ammo, meds and some utility for free, with no cooldown. Lose it and you’ve only lost time. The catch is that there’s no Safe Pocket and only 14 backpack slots, and free loadouts tend to join matches that are already in progress.
Treat these runs as paid map study. Learn the layout, find two or three exits you can recognize, and pick up whatever you can carry.
When each map opens
| Map | Opens after |
|---|---|
| Dam Battlegrounds | Available from the start |
| Practice Range | 4 rounds |
| Buried City | 8 rounds |
| Spaceport | 12 rounds |
| The Blue Gate | 18 rounds |
| Stella Montis | 24 rounds |
Most rounds last 30 minutes. Dam Battlegrounds has balanced loot and a mix of skill levels, so it’s the right home map while you learn. Buried City is a good next step. Stella Montis has the best loot but it’s tight, maze-like and full of fights, so go there once you’re confident.
Extraction: the skill that matters most
You get home through cargo elevators, metro stations, airshafts or Raider Hatches. A public exit appears on your HUD once you’re within about 400m. Exits shut one by one as the round goes on, and the map shows how long each has left. You won’t always spawn at the start of a round either, so sometimes you’ll have as little as 15 minutes.
The most common beginner mistake is staying too long. Call your elevator early, before you feel ready.
Raider Hatches are the quiet option. They need a Raider Hatch Key, stay open for a short window, take one raider at a time and never shut down for the round. Shani sells two keys a day, and they’re great for late escapes.
Your first custom loadout
Once you’ve banked some coins and know your exits, build a cheap kit:
- Weapon: Kettle assault rifle or Stitcher SMG, both cheap and easy to use.
- Shield: Light Shield. It blocks 40% of damage with no movement penalty.
- Sustain: Bandages and a Shield Recharger.
- Utility: a couple of grenades.
A good rule is to have about 5,000 coins banked before you stop using free runs. Never bring anything you can’t afford to lose.
For fighting ARC machines, the Ferro is a cheap heavy-ammo rifle with strong ARC armor penetration. It’s crafted from 5 Metal Parts and 2 Rubber Parts. It reloads after every shot, so fire from range.
Augments and shields
Your augment decides which shields you can wear and if you have a Safe Pocket. A Heavy Shield blocks 52.5% of damage but slows you by 10% and only works with certain augments. For looting runs a Light Shield is usually the better pick. Looting Mk. 3 (Cautious) gives 24 backpack slots and built-in binoculars, which suits solo players.
Progression: what to spend on
- Stash space first. Running out of room is the earliest wall you’ll hit.
- Trader quests. Pick them up in Speranza before you drop. They give direction and rewards.
- Workbench upgrades. These open better crafting.
- Skill tree. There are three branches: Conditioning, Mobility and Survival. You can’t buy every skill, so focus on looting, survival and movement early.
ARC machines: pick your fights
The machines are the other half of the danger. Small ARC are fine to shoot for parts, but the big ones take a lot of ammo and noise brings other raiders to you. Early on, it’s usually better to go around anything large unless you have a plan and a weapon with ARC armor penetration. Gunfire and explosions tell everyone nearby where you are, so think before you start a fight near your exit.
Selling and stash habits
New players hoard everything. Sell most of what you bring home and keep only crafting materials you actually need for your next upgrade. A full stash stops you from looting properly next raid, and coins are what buy stash expansions in the first place.
Solo or squad?
Both work. Solo is quieter and you keep all the loot, but you have no one to revive you. Squads handle bigger ARC and other teams better. Either way, wear headphones. Hearing footsteps and machines is half the game.
FAQ
What’s the best map for beginners in ARC Raiders?
Dam Battlegrounds. It’s open from the start, the loot is balanced and players are mixed in skill.
Should I use Free Loadouts?
Yes, for your first raids. They cost nothing and have no cooldown.
What happens if I die?
You lose what you brought in, apart from what’s in your Safe Pocket.
Stuck on quests or short on stash space? Get boosted.